Lubricator.



Patented October 6, 1903. 5

t rrent PATENT CLIFFORD L. HOFMANN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF-ONE-HALF TO S. STANLEY KLEIN, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

LUBRICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 740,856, dated October 6, 1903.

Application filed March 2, 1903.

To (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CLIFFORD L. HOFMANN, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State of Ohio, have made certain new and usefullmprovements in Lubricaiors,of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention is an improvement in lubricators, and especially in that class of such devices for application to pulleys and the like wherein the pulley revolves on a bearing or shaft and the lubricator revolves with the pulley; and the invention consists in certain novel constructions and combinations of parts, as will be hereinafter described and claimed.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation, partly in section, of my invention as in use; and Fig. 2 is a detail perspective view of the lubricator detached.

In the construction shown the pulley A is journaled on the shaft B and has its hub A provided with an opening A leading to the shaft and threaded for the reception of the shank C of the lubricator D. As shown, the lubricator D comprises the cup or reservoir" E, the threaded shank or stem C, the fillingplug F, and the tube or channel G and the regulating-screw H. As shown and as is pre-' ferred, the stem or shank C, cup E, and tube or channel G are integral. The tube G connects with the upper outer portion of the cup E at a point slightly in rear of the center of said cup with respect to the direction of re tation, as indicated by the arrow linFig. 1, and the tube G extends from its connection g with the cup E slightly to the rear and then inwardly toward the center of the pulley and has its inner end deflected at 2 toward the; point 3, where it unites with the stem or shank C at a point comparatively near the juncture of the shank with'the body of the cup E. The shank C has a channeliC, leading inwardly from the 7 connection 3 of the tube to the hearing or shaft B, and is also provided with a channel 0, leading from the innor end of the channel C into the cup E and being practicallya continuation of the channel C, the screw H crossing and separating the channels C and C and being arranged at its inner end to operate as a valve by Serial No. 145,722. (No model.)

which to regulate orout 01f the flow of oil through the tube G to the channel C and theuce'to the bearing. The channel C in connection with the screw-valve H and the channel C, is an important feature of my invention, as by it I permit air to feed into the inner end of the cup E in the operation of the device when the screwHis opeued,-and thus prevent the formation of a vacuum at the inner end of the cup E as the pulley revolves.

The filling-plug F threads'at F into the cup E and hasits threaded portion cutaway on one side'atf, so the cup E can be filled byinsertiug the nozzle of the oibcan in the openingfwithout fully withdrawing the plug from the cup.

It will be understood that the air-vent C is considerably smaller, as shown, than that of the channel Cthat is to say, the channel C is continued but is reduced in size beyond or above the regulating-screw H-and in prac tice the channel C should not ordinarily be much larger than an ordinary pin-hole. This channel C is made smaller, so that no oil will flow through it by gravity when at rest or be drawn through by vacuum in any considerable quantity While in motion.

It Will be noticed that the channel 0 is considerably larger than the bore of the tube G, so that air passing from the bearing through the channel 0' may pass the oil fed by the tube G to said channel C and thence to the bearing.

Having thus described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. The improved lubricator for pulleys herein described comprising thevoil-cup, the stem or shank at the inner end thereof, an oilchannel leading from the extremity of said at the port discharging from the tube into ICO the stem or shank whereby the screw-valve may regulate the flow of oil and will also control the air-venting channel substantially as set forth.

2. Alubricator comprisingaclosed cup having a hollow stem, a return oil tube or channel communicating with the outer end of the cup and extending thence inwardly toward the bearing to be lubricated, the cup being provided at its inner end with an air-vent to prevent the formation of a vacuum in the cup substantially as set forth.

3. A lubricator comprising a closed cup having a stem or shank and an oil-feedingchannel therein, a return tube or channel connected at one end With the outer end of the oilcup and discharging at its other end to the stem or shank in communication with the oilfeeding channel, the cup being provided with an air-venting channel leading from the oilfeeding channel, and a valve whereby to regulate the flow of oil and to control the airventing channel substantially as set forth.

4. A lubricator having a closed oil-cup, a stem having an oil-feeding passage and an air-venting channel the latter leading into said cup, the valve controlling the feed of oil and the venting-channel and the return tube or channel connecting the stem with the outer end of the cup substantially as set forth.

CLIFFORD L. HOFMANN. Witnesses:

JAMES H. GUNNING, LAURA O. LIPPERD. 

